Delivering virtualized content

• US 10,013,804 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Outward, Inc. (Williams-Sonoma Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Outward, Inc. (Williams-Sonoma Inc.)
• Inventors: Chui, Clarence
• Primary Examiner(s): Ge, Jin
• Application Number:
  US14/068,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20140139549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,706 Days
• Field of Search: 345619
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/006 Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/80 Camera processing pipelines; Components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0125 one of the standards being a high definition standard

Abstract

Techniques for delivering virtualized content are disclosed. In some embodiments, at least portions of obtained source content are mapped to one or more parameterized database objects that collectively define a model environment representing the source content. Data specifying the model environment is provided to an output device at which the source content is desired to be rendered instead of the source content to facilitate a better quality rendering at the output device than the quality of the source content. Rendered content at the output device substantially does not comprise of original data comprising the source content.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive camera captured source content;

contextualize the received camera captured source content by identifying elements comprising the source content;

map identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects, wherein a set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped collectively defines a model environment representing the source content, wherein the model environment does not comprise any of the source content but rather represents a virtualized version of the source content based on existing database object assets, and wherein one or more of the set of existing parameterized database objects comprise existing database object assets that are morphed or modified through available parameterization to match identified elements of the contextualized source content;

modify the model environment defined by the set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped according to one or more criteria; and

provide, to an output device at which the source content is desired to be rendered, data specifying the modified model environment instead of the source content, wherein a performance up to a capability of the output device is allowed to be achieved when rendering the modified model environment at the output device; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein providing data specifying the modified model environment to the output device uses less communication bandwidth than providing the source content.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the source content comprises image or video content.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the source content comprises existing image or video content.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein contextualization of the source content is at least in part assisted by human input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein to map identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects comprises to convert the contextualized source content to a prescribed computational space.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein to map identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects comprises to correlate one or more identified elements in the contextualized source content to corresponding matching existing parameterized database objects.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped comprises content not included in the source content.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to augment the model environment.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to modify one or more objects comprising the model environment.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to modify the model environment based on the output device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the modified model environment comprises a re-imagined version of the source content.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to substitute one or more objects comprising the model environment with alternatives.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to substitute one or more objects comprising the model environment with alternatives associated with one or more advertisers.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to remove one or more objects comprising the model environment.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to modify the lighting of the model environment.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to modify one or more visual qualities of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to re-orient one or more objects comprising the model environment.

27. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises color correction of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to modify surface characteristics of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to correct or remove perceived performance errors in the model environment.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to add new or different objects to the model environment.

31. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to introduce alternative camera perspectives in the model environment.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to customize the model environment.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein to modify the model environment comprises to personalize the model environment based on a user of the output device.

34. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to store a specification of the model environment.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to store a specification of the modified model environment.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide to the output device at least a subset of a database of the existing object assets.

37. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to provide to the output device at least a subset of a database of the existing object assets needed for rendering the modified model environment at the output device.

38. The system of claim 1, wherein database object assets needed for rendering the modified model environment are available at or accessible by the output device.

39. The system of claim 1, wherein a rendering quality of the modified model environment at the output device comprises a maximum quality achievable by the output device.

40. The system of claim 1, wherein a rendering quality of the modified model environment at the output device is matched to a display format, color performance, frame rate, or combination thereof of the output device.

13. A method, comprising:

receiving camera captured source content;

contextualizing the received camera captured source content by identifying elements comprising the source content;

mapping identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects, wherein a set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped collectively defines a model environment representing the source content, wherein the model environment does not comprise any of the source content but rather represents a virtualized version of the source content based on existing database object assets, and wherein one or more of the set of existing parameterized database objects comprise existing database object assets that are morphed or modified through available parameterization to match identified elements of the contextualized source content;

modifying the model environment defined by the set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped according to one or more criteria; and

providing, to an output device at which the source content is desired to be rendered, data specifying the modified model environment instead of the source content, wherein a performance up to a capability of the output device is allowed to be achieved when rendering the modified model environment at the output device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein mapping identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects comprises converting the contextualized source content to a prescribed computational space.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying one or more objects comprising the model environment.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the modified model environment comprises a re-imagined version of the source content.

41. The method of claim 13, wherein providing data specifying the modified model environment to the output device uses less communication bandwidth than providing the source content.

42. The method of claim 13, wherein the source content comprises image or video content.

43. The method of claim 13, wherein the source content comprises existing image or video content.

44. The method of claim 13, wherein contextualization of the source content is at least in part assisted by human input.

45. The method of claim 13, wherein mapping identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects comprises correlating one or more identified elements in the contextualized source content to corresponding matching existing parameterized database objects.

46. The method of claim 13, wherein the set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped comprises content not included in the source content.

47. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises augmenting the model environment.

48. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying the model environment based on the output device.

49. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises substituting one or more objects comprising the model environment with alternatives.

50. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises substituting one or more objects comprising the model environment with alternatives associated with one or more advertisers.

51. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises removing one or more objects comprising the model environment.

52. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying the lighting of the model environment.

53. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying one or more visual qualities of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

54. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises re- orienting one or more objects comprising the model environment.

55. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises color correction of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

56. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying surface characteristics of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

57. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises correcting or removing perceived performance errors in the model environment.

58. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises adding new or different objects to the model environment.

59. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises introducing alternative camera perspectives in the model environment.

60. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises customizing the model environment.

61. The method of claim 13, wherein modifying the model environment comprises personalizing the model environment based on a user of the output device.

62. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing a specification of the model environment.

63. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing a specification of the modified model environment.

64. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing to the output device at least a subset of a database of the existing object assets.

65. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing to the output device at least a subset of a database of the existing object assets needed for rendering the modified model environment at the output device.

66. The method of claim 13, wherein database object assets needed for rendering the modified model environment are available at or accessible by the output device.

67. The method of claim 13, wherein a rendering quality of the modified model environment at the output device comprises a maximum quality achievable by the output device.

68. The method of claim 13, wherein a rendering quality of the modified model environment at the output device is matched to a display format, color performance, frame rate, or combination thereof of the output device.

17. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer usable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving camera captured source content;

contextualizing the received camera captured source content by identifying elements comprising the source content;

mapping identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects, wherein a set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped collectively defines a model environment representing the source content, wherein the model environment does not comprise any of the source content but rather represents a virtualized version of the source content based on existing database object assets, and wherein one or more of the set of existing parameterized database objects comprise existing database object assets that are morphed or modified through available parameterization to match identified elements of the contextualized source content;

modifying the model environment defined by the set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped according to one or more criteria; and

providing, to an output device at which the source content is desired to be rendered, data specifying the modified model environment instead of the source content, wherein a performance up to a capability of the output device is allowed to be achieved when rendering the modified model environment at the output device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein mapping identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects comprises converting the contextualized source content to a prescribed computational space.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying one or more objects comprising the model environment.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the modified model environment comprises a re-imagined version of the source content.

69. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein providing data specifying the modified model environment to the output device uses less communication bandwidth than providing the source content.

70. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the source content comprises image or video content.

71. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the source content comprises existing image or video content.

72. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein contextualization of the source content is at least in part assisted by human input.

73. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein mapping identified elements of the contextualized source content to existing parameterized database objects comprises correlating one or more identified elements in the contextualized source content to corresponding matching existing parameterized database objects.

74. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the set of existing parameterized database objects to which the identified elements of the contextualized source content are mapped comprises content not included in the source content.

75. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises augmenting the model environment.

76. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying the model environment based on the output device.

77. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises substituting one or more objects comprising the model environment with alternatives.

78. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises substituting one or more objects comprising the model environment with alternatives associated with one or more advertisers.

79. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises removing one or more objects comprising the model environment.

80. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying the lighting of the model environment.

81. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying one or more visual qualities of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

82. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises re-orienting one or more objects comprising the model environment.

83. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises color correction of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

84. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises modifying surface characteristics of one or more objects comprising the model environment.

85. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises correcting or removing perceived performance errors in the model environment.

86. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises adding new or different objects to the model environment.

87. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises introducing alternative camera perspectives in the model environment.

88. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises customizing the model environment.

89. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein modifying the model environment comprises personalizing the model environment based on a user of the output device.

90. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises computer instructions for storing a specification of the model environment.

91. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises computer instructions for storing a specification of the modified model environment.

92. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises computer instructions for providing to the output device at least a subset of a database of the existing object assets.

93. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program product further comprises computer instructions for providing to the output device at least a subset of a database of the existing object assets needed for rendering the modified model environment at the output device.

94. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein database object assets needed for rendering the modified model environment are available at or accessible by the output device.

95. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein a rendering quality of the modified model environment at the output device comprises a maximum quality achievable by the output device.

96. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein a rendering quality of the modified model environment at the output device is matched to a display format, color performance, frame rate, or combination thereof of the output device.